Baking Madness

I don't know what's been going on with me as of late, but I've had the sudden urge to get all domestic these days. I've never claimed to be a pro in the kitchen. Ask my husband, he can tell you that cooking is NOT my strength. However, I've had the itch to bake or make new desserts the last few weeks.
Is that weird??

If you feel the need to make something new or different, please consider the following options:

Scrupmtious Apple Pie (Thanks, Emily!)
Almond Mocha Pie 
Fresh Blueberry Pie
Impossibly Easy French Apple Pie
Oreo Pudding Pie
and last, but certainly not least,
Chocolate Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Bars

Let me know how your baking turns out!

In My Absence

What in the world has been going on since my last post???
Espy loves kindergarten.
Gianna loves preschool.
Isabella is 13 months old.
It all makes me kind of sad.
Espy's going to play basketball.
It should be interesting because she's just like me,
and I don't play -
at all.
Gianna starts gymnastics soon.
Gianna in a leotard will be spectacular.
Isabella likes to play in toilet water.
Not so spectacular.
Bill rocked a 5k coming in first place.
Espy started soccer, and her daddy's her coach.
Some friends got married!
Espy was their flower girl.
I was a bridesmaid.
Espy was super cute.
Two sweet baby girls were born.
Another baby is going to be born any minute now!
I still want to have another baby.
Bill's not convinced.
Bill smoked a 1/2 marathon, coming in first, again.
I'm superproud of my running husband.
It makes me want to run,
for a minute,
then I get home and return to mommy world.
Bill and I went on a date.
It didn't go as planned,
but that's another post.
I found some new music courtesy of one friend.
I rediscovered some old music courtesy of another.
I baked a pie.
It was yummy.

What have you been doing in my absence?
I'd love to know!

Photo by: Dan Foy / CC BY 2.0

Machine

A conversation with Espy during bathtime with her sisters:

ESPY
Is there a machine in your body that makes babies?
GRACENot really, your body takes care of the baby until the baby is ready to come out.
ESPYBut how does God put the baby in the machine?
GRACE(nervously bathing children & getting ready to call for Bill)
Well, God...ESPY...I want to have 5000 babies with my machine.
GRACE5000 is a lot of babies. Why don't you start out with 5?
ESPYHow about 500?
GRACEWe'll see.
ESPYOk, we'll see.

First Date

Espy went on her first date today.
She was so excited she could hardly stand it.


One of the guys in our youth group told me this story:
So when I was a young lad, my sister's best friend's older sister took me on a date to the ice cream shop. She was like 18, and I was 5. So I have remembered that day my whole life. So I want to take your girls on a date one night (if you trust me driving), but I am good - haha. But I think it would be really fun. Let me know what you think.


After lunch this afternoon, I took Espy outside to meet her date. You should have seen the smile on that little girl's face - adorable.


Thank you, Matt, for taking out my little Espy and showing her how a gentleman should treat a lady - she will never forget it!

Photo by: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid

Read This

Something to think about:

A Fool's Defense
I make more money while typing this post than most of the world has to live on per day, and I keep and spend 92% of it on myself,
but I am a good person.

I live less than 20 minutes from homeless families living on the street, and their condition is not anything I work to change,
but I am a good person.

I spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on my kids' sports and extra curricular activities each year while children in poverty in my community and around the world are ignored by people like me with means to help,
but I am a good person.

My neighbor is confused about spirituality and has been burned by the church in the past, but I don’t dare raise spiritual topics with her because she might think badly of me, and after all,
I am a good person.

I live in a neighborhood of people who look like and view the world mostly like me, and avoid areas of town and the people where this is not true,
but I am a good person.

Instead of teaching my children to sacrifice for the sake of the least, the last and the lost all around us, I teach them to ignore these so that we can live the same comfortable lifestyle as our neighbors,
but I am a good person.

I have interpreted the command of Jesus to “Go make disciples of every nation” and to “love my neighbor as myself” to mean that I should congregate in comfortable chairs on Sundays with others who do the same, and love only those in my holy huddle,
but I am a good person.

Even though I know that 2 out of every 3 unchurched people I am friendly with would go to church if I invited them, it has been years since I invited anyone to church,
but I am a good person.

While Jesus came to win the lost and set the oppressed free, I focus instead on creating space between me and the lost, and hoping some politician or social activist can manage to set the oppressed free,
but I am a good person.

While Jesus spent his time connecting his life to people far from God so they might find life in Him, I connect my life to those far from God so that I can live the same life they do and not feel deprived like I would if I had to really live like Jesus,
but I am a good person.

While I affirm the power of transformation in my words and stated beliefs, I deny the power of transformation when I turn my back on the poor, ignore the oppressed, distance myself from the under-resourced and refuse to share the good news with the spiritually confused or searching,
but I am a good person.

While I have made an idol of my beliefs about God, I have ignored the very heart of God and the way of Jesus,
but I am a good person.

I do not feed the hungry, care for the sick, clothe the naked, visit those in prison, comfort the afflicted or stand with the oppressed, but I am a good person. While Jesus asked, “Why do you call me good,” I ask “Why do you not call me good?”
You should know by now that I am a good person.
-Alan Hitt-

Photo by Make Stanne

One Year Old

Happy Birthday Little One

I Don't Know

Please listen to this song.
I love it.

I love her voice.
I love her hat.
I love that five people are jamming in a small box in a bar.
Don't you?